I like to think of 2016 as my “sophomore year of the real world.”
It was my second full year of my employment at Blue Sky Marketing, my second full year of balancing freelancing for the Northwest Herald, and also my second full year of adult bill paying (mainly the student loan payments). Looking back, this year didn’t really bring about many major changes in my life, other than experiencing what it feels to be an athletic champion(!), so after this thought, I aim to make 2017 have some changes. (spoiler, I’m starting it off with a brand new car, but a separate post about that will come)
As in previous years, this collection is a mix between personal photos and working photos, chronologically set for the year. Many thanks to my friends and family for making it another wonderful year!
Here’s to 2017!
Seeing The Lion King in Chicago, Ill., Jan 4, 2016. 
Crystal Lake South center Joshua Friesen (50) reacts after a dunk on the other end of the floor late in the third quarter of the boys basketball game at Crystal Lake South Saturday, Jan. 9, 2015. The Golden Eagles won, 52-37. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Sharing a moment with Matt Brophy during hockey at Man-Weekend (pt. 4) in Hazelhurst, Wisc. on Jan. 30, 2016. 
Birthday Selfie during birthday celebrations, Feb. 13, 2016. 
Mary Jane Nester, of Crystal Lake, is seen in the reflection of an E6 handbell during a Jubilate Adult Handbell Choir rehearsal Wednesday, March 2, 2016, at the First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake. The church will be celebrating its 40th anniversary with a concert March 13, at 4 p.m. In 1976, the handbell program started under the direction of Karen Snodgrass with one choir and 37 bells and now has five bell and chime choirs from third graders through adults with more than 220 handbells and handchimes. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
During Spirt Sports Cheer & Dance competition, April 2, 2016. 
On the beach before catching a flight back home, April 4, 2016. 
Selfie with the Kobe Bryant booklet, commemorating his time with the Lakers, given out at his last game. 
Selfie when Audrey Javier was in Chicago, May 16, 2016. 
Cayla Domagala waiting to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" before the march in of USTA Nationals 2016, June 17, 2016. (Daryl Quitalig/TNT Pix) 
Face Briana Stewart made when she saw I was photographing on the trampoline one of her athletes was about to compete on, June 18, 2016. (Daryl Quitalig/TNT Pix) 
John Konstantaras photographing rod floor, June 18, 2016. (Daryl Quitalig/TNT Pix) 
Natascha Shenk with her new puppy, Knox, June 18, 2016. 
The Sunsphere seen next to the Knoxville Convention Center, June 19, 2016. 
Josh Coles with his new puppy, Knox, June 19, 2016. 
Getting coffee with my cousin William Torres on the campus of the University of Kentucky, June 19, 2016, on a stop en route to Chicago from USTA Nationals 2016. 
Driving selfie en route home from USTA Nationals 2016, June 19, 2016. 
Hunter Simonini (left) watches Matt Haussmann putt at the third hole of at the 2016 McHenry County Amateur Saturday, June 25, 2016 at McHenry Country Club. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Carter Bitterman (left), 4, of McCullom Lake, and Julian Floress, 9, of McHenry, experience milking a cow from a fiberglass dairy cow replica, "Cowleen," at a Day At Petersen Farm Sunday, June 26, 2016 in McHenry, Ill. "A Hundred Years Ago Today" showcased artifacts and exhibits showing McHenry County farm life in 1916. The Farm was formed in 1842 and acquired from the Colby and Petersen families by the City of McHenry for preservation of agricultural heritage. With its outbuildings and oak savannah, it will become an agricultural museum and resource center to promote tourism within our area and preserve the flavor of life in McHenry County in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. The Colby-Petersen Farm Foundation has been established to assist in maintaining and developing the property. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Megan McDaniel (left) and her son Oliver Mcdaniel, both of Crystal Lake, have their hands in the air as they ride the Ferris Wheel overlooking the 37th annual Lakeside Festival on Saturday, July 2, 2016 at the Dole Mansion in Crystal Lake. Attracting over 50,000 people to this annual favorite, there is live music, many food options at the “Taste by the Lake,” carnival rides, midway games, historic tours, and more. Lakeside Festival runs through Sunday. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Family selfie before the McHenry fireworks show, July 2, 2016. 
Sushi dinner with Jenn Duva, July 11, 2016. 
Running selfie with Stacie Sansone in Edwardsville, Ill., July 15, 2016. 
Slide-selfie at the City Museum in St. Louis, Mo. July 16, 2016. 
Lauren Blackburn cooling off after a day at the City Museum in St. Louis, Mo. July 16, 2016. 
Christopher Fugiel (left), places an engagement ring on the finger of Agnieszka Haligowska, both of Crystal lake, after proposing with a float in the Founders' Days Parade Saturday, July 30, 2016. Fugiel arranged for his friends to drive an RV in the parade with a sign asking her to marry him. As one of the longest standing parades in the state, it's one of the events to along with the Algonquin Founders’ Days Festival which began in 1961 by a group of local businessmen who wanted to celebrate their community. Other festival events include the Special Needs Carnival, Cardboard Boat Regatta, children’s games, Market & Bazaar, the Bake-Off, live music, bag tournaments, and the Fireworks Spectacular. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Patricia Miller, of Crystal Lake, CEO and Owner of Matrix 4, located at 610 E. Judd St., Woodstock, Ill., lays down an extended paint roller to coat the exterior of her building, during "Keep Woodstock Beautiful," the community's first cleanup day, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016. Other locations cleaned up included (but not limited to) areas around Route 47, Jewel, the Walmart grass area and the Secretary of State Building. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Senior portrait of Rikka Abano, McHenry High School West Campus Class of 2016 
The Hush Sound performs in Chicago, Aug. 10, 2016. 
Photo with Matt Brophy and Jr Schroeder celebrating the Stars winning the Spring/Summer 2016 House League Championship, Aug. 19, 2016. (Photo by Megan Ashton) 
Crystal Lake South pompom squad members Victoria Falato (left), 16, and Katie Gorski, 17, dance along as the marching band plays "All of the Lights" during the game at Crystal Lake South High School on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. The Warriors won, 45-31. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Staged photo of Matt Morrison jokingly sleeping next to his car, Aug. 28, 2016. 
Scene before drafting our Blue Sky league NFL Fantasy Teams, Aug. 30, 2016. 
Gaby Kaplan and Rachel Sensmeier working in the dark office after the power went out temporarily, Aug. 31, 2016. 
Crystal Lake Central quarterback Jacob Staples (1) fumbles the snap on fourth down with one yard to go in the second quarter of the football game at Crystal Lake Central Friday, Oct. 7, 2016. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Crystal Lake South's Hannah Rakofsky hits a backhand during the 2 Singles Fox Valley Conference girls tennis tournament championship match at Hampshire High School on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016. Rakofsky defeated Prairie Ridge's Annie Oiu, 6-1, 6-2. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Jacobs' Haley Steinkamp expresses frustration after an error during the 1 Singles Fox Valley Conference girls tennis tournament championship match at Hampshire High School on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016. Prairie Ridge's Annie Timm won, 6-3, 6-3. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Cary-Grove Zack Underwood (22) celebrates with linebacker Kevin Pedersen (34) after he recovers the ball from Max Skol's punt block during the football game against South Elgin at Cary-Grove High School Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. The Trojans won, 50-6. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Parking my car after my lunch break on one of my days of Jury Duty, Oct. 17, 2016. 
Photo of a photo booth photo printout, Oct. 23, 2016. 
Selfie when Jessica Rainosek very generously invited me to see Hamilton with her, her brother and her brother's friend, in Chicago, Oct. 23, 2016. 
Five-month-old Adalynn Voll sits in her grandfather Jim Voll's arms as her mother Emily Voll tries to entertain her during a break from representing Galati's Hideaway in the Halloween walk hosted by Cary-Grove Chamber and local businesses Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016 at the Cary Square Shopping Center in Cary. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Dressing up as Aladdin for Halloween and co-winning my office's competition, Oct. 31, 2016. 
Huntley's Andrew Pertzborn (78) celebrates with Carter Beaudette (34) after his 3-yard touchdown in the third quarter of an IHSA Class 8A second-round playoff football game against Fremd at Huntley High School Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016. Huntley won, 38-30. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
After voting this year, I took this photo illustration, Nov. 8, 2016. 
Jacobs defensive back Jukauri Bland (25) is unable to defend Fenwick wide receiver Mike O'Laughlin's (3) 89-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter of an IHSA Class 7A quarterfinal playoff football game against No. 4 Fenwick at Jacobs High School Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016. Jacobs lost, 28-21. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Group photo at Friendsgiving III hosted at Kelsey Olenski's in Sugar Grove, Ill. on November 12, 2016. 
Jesky family portrait, Fall 2016 
Michael Eschweiler (from front), 14, Chris Eschweiler, 20, and Drew Eschweiler, 18, all from Crystal Lake, organize sorted crates of donated food for the Crystal Lake food pantry into a box truck on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016, at 6250 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake, Ill. Last fall, the people in the Crystal Lake area donated 61,000 pounds of food and $26,637.00 in funds during the Community Harvest drive. This year, the goal was 85,000 pounds of food and $50,000 in funds. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Engagement photo taken of Megan Ashton and Jr Schroeder, Fall 2016 
Elizabeth Bass, of Wonder Lake, cuts down a tree with daughters Gillian Bass (far), 8, and Rosie Thompson, 6, watching on at Pioneer Tree Farm, 4614 Pioneer Road, McHenry, Ill. Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Pioneer Tree Farm has been selling cut-your-own Christmas trees since 1973 and has a variety of pines, spruces, cedars, and firs to choose from. Their trees are organically grown and pruned by hand and 10 percent of tree sales is donated to the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County. (Daryl Quitalig/Shaw Media) 
Photo with Katie Kowall, my Art Director, at the Blue Sky Marketing Holiday Party 2016, Dec. 9, 2016 
Dogsitting Maddux, Megan Ashton and Jr Schroeder's dog, Dec. 11, 2016. 
Some of the oldest kids of the family during the balloon battle at the Christmas 2016 party at the Talusan's on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. 
The "gift box" I used for my Secret Santa gift for Richelle Abano at the Christmas 2016 party at the Talusan's on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Inside was a Cubs "World Series Champion" winter hat and a W Flag. 
Kids group photo at the Christmas 2016 party at the Talusan's on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. 
Parents group photo at the Christmas 2016 party at the Talusan's on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. 
Family selfie at the dinner table at the Sacramento's on Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016.